Plug for gasolene-tanks.



C. A. NEAL.

PLUG FOR GASOLENE TANKS. APPLICATION man JUNE 15, 1914.

Patented June 20, 1916.

Fig- 5.

Witnesses In ventur- Charles A. Neal @641. Att 2285 tially the same in principle.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. NEAT, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

.PLUG FOR GASOLENE-TSANKS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. NEAL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Seattle, King county, Washington, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Plugs for Gasolene- Tanks, of v which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to plugs for gasolene tanks, and comprises certain novel parts and combinations of parts which will will be hereinafterdescribed and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

" The object of my invention is to provide means whereby the air pressure in the tank I maybe increased and retained,- to thereby force the gas into the carbureter.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention in its present preferred form, in two modifications which are essen- Figure I is a top plan view of the plug for the filling opening of the gasolene tank,

showing my invention incorporated therein in its preferred form. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same .along the line A-A of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is" a top plan view of a modified construction. Fig. 4: is a sectional view of the construction shown in Fig. 3, taken along the line BB of Fig. 3.-

Fig. 5'is a longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale, of the valve'stem shown in Figs. 1 and2. Fig. 6 is an end View of the same. Fig. 7 is a plan View of the .valve handle used in Figs. 1 and 2.

My invention is intended particularly for use on automobiles, but may be used in any place where it is" desired to increase and retain air pressure in a tank.

When going up a steep hill, if the supply of gasolene in the tank is low, it often happens that the gasolene will refuse tov flow from the tank to the carbureter, because of the fact that the level of gasolene in the tank is lower than the level in the carbureter. To overcome, this, a special 1 pump is sometimes connected up with the tank-so that the pressure of the air inside :the tank may be increased, or the gasolenein the tank. is kept under pressure at all times. To keep the gasolene under pressure at all times is expensive and unnecessary,

I this pressure except at widely separated intervals. On the other hand, the qperma-f I515 nentlyattached pump, with its special cone,

as there would be no occasion 'for the use of Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed June 15, 1914. Serial No. 845,304.

Patented June 20, 1916.-

the gasolene to the carbureter irrespective of their relative levels.-

In my preferred form, shown in Figs. 1

and 2, I provide the plug 1 with a boss'10, which has an inclined bore 14 in which is seated a valve 2. The bore 14; is preferably at a slight angle, say 30 from the horizontal, as this reduces the height and does not infringe upon the space occupied by the cushion which is usually placed over the tank. The boss 10 has a lateral projection l1, herein shown atright angles to. i

the bore 14:, which is. threaded for the attachment of the ordinary hand pump which forms a part'ofthe standard equipment of v automobiles. Thisprojection 11 has an inlet port 12, which registers, when in oper a'tive position, with an inlet port 21 in the valve stem 2, which in turn communicates with the central bore 22 in the valve stem, the whole forming an air passage from the inside of the gasolene tank to the outside atmosphere, 01* to the hand pump when this is connected. The stem of valve 2- has fiat tened portions 23 at its outer end, adapted to receive an operating arm 3, which is provided with a slot 31 of a size and shape to snugly fit the flattened portions 23. By this means valve stem2-may be turned by the handle 3. The outer extension of valve stem 2 beyond the flattened portions 23 is preferably threaded forthe attachment of a nut or'othersecuring, means 25. The nut 25 and head 26 hold it securely in place in the bore 14.;

In another form of my invention, cap- 1 V has a lug 13 which is internally threaded for the reception of a small air valve of any of the types used on pneumatic tires.

This valve .2 issecured injplac'e'by nut 28 and lock-nut"25, and is provided with cap 27 to-protect the valve stem, the whole being of standard gconstruction. forflsuch' valvesi In using this type of plug thefair in the tank must be kept under pressure at all times, or some other means provided for the inlet of air to the tank, or a separate plug of this type carried for insertion when its ctions are required;

In the and 2, when the'arm 3 is turned to one side the valve is open and remains so While the arm is in this position, thus providing free passage of air to the interior of the tank, as in ordinarysplugs. When it is desired to increase the pressure of the air in the tank, the hand pump may be quickly screwed into place on the projection 11, and the pressure increased by pumping air in by hand. When the desired pressure is reached, the handle 3 is turned to the other side, which closes the air passage 22, and the pump may be detached.

It might be desired to incorporate an automatic air-retaining valve with the valve 2 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but Ihave not shown this for the reason that it is common -to use air pumps which work in both directime.

Such pumps have incorporated in them an automatic air-retaining valve or its equivalent, and this will 'act to retain the from its inner end to a air between strokes, until the required pressure has been obtained, particularly as this pressure is very slight.

What I claim as my invention and desire to patent is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a shallow plug for the filling opening of gasolene tanks of automobiles having a valve-receivingbore extending therethrough at a considerable angle to the axis of the plug, and a lateral bore connecting the valve bore with the exterior, a valve rotatable in said first named boreand having a port extending position to register with said lateral bore.

2. As an article of manufacture, a shallow plug for the filling opening of gasolene tanks having a bore extending therethrough at a considerable angle to the axis of the plug, a valve rotatable in said bore and held against axial reciprocation, the valve hav-' ing a port communicating with its inner end and with its periphery back fromsaid inner end, the plug having a-bore extending laterally from the valve bore and adapted to connect said valve port with the exterior,

and a valve controlling member secured to the outer end ofthe valve.

3. As an article of manufacture, a plug for the filling opening of gasolene tanks having an axially bored boss with its axis placed at a considerable angle with the axis of the, plug, and also having a nipple extending laterally of said boss with a bore communicating with the bore in said boss, said nipple being threaded for the connection ofahose thereto, and a plug filling and rotatable in the bore of said boss and havpreferred form shown in Figs. 1"

ing an axial bore extending from its inner the axis of the plug, a seat surrounding the inner end of said bore, a nipple upon said boss axially bored to communicate with said lateral bore, said nipple being adapted to receive a hose connection, a valve fitting in and rotatable to close said lateral bore, a head on the inner end of said valve engaging said seat, the valve having a radial bore registrable with the bore in said nipple, and the valve being axially bored from its inner end to said radial bore, and .a handle so;

cured upon the outer end of said valve tr 1 open or close the valve whereby the valve is held between said head and the handle to prevent reciprocation thereof.

5. As an article of manufacture, a shallow plug for the filling opening of gasolene tanks having a valve-receiving bore extending therethrough at a considerable angle to the axis of the plug, a valve rotatable therein, a handle upon the outer end of the valve, the surface of the plug acting as a stop for the handle in two extreme positions, one of. said positions defining the open position of the valve, and the other position defining the closed position of the valve.

6. As an article of manufacture, a shallow recessed plug provided with a low boss and having a bore extending therethrough at a considerable angle to the axis of the plug, a nipple secured upon said boss and having an inlet opening communicating with said bore, a valve member in said bore and adapted to rotate therein, a head on the inner end of said valve member, a flattened portion upon the outer end of said valve member, a handle having a slot adapted to fit uponthe flattened portion of the valve member, the surface of the plug acting as a stop for the handle in two positions, means for securing said handle upon the valve, the valve having an axial bore extending outward from its inner 'end, a radial bore communicating with said axial bore'and registrable with said inlet opening in the nipple when the handle is in one extreme position, whereby said valve is opened, said valve being closed by the rotation of the valve member until the handle is in the opposite extreme position.

7. A shallow plug for the filling opening of automobile gasolene tanks, said plug being recessed upon its upper side and having a transversely extending boss upon this side containing a'valve-receiving bore extending therethrough at a considerable angle to the axis of the plug, a valve rotatable in said .bore having an mlet opening connecting memes said bore with the exterior and a port c0nmeeting said inlet opening with the interior, a handle upon the outer end of said valve, said hmdle normally lying below the upper surface of the plug and on opposite sides of theboss when said valve is in open and closed positions, respectively.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 5th-eiay of June,

- CHARLES ANEAZL. 'Witnesses:

H. L. REYNOLDS, CHARLES L. REYNOLDS. 

